Leanne Kennedy once took a rhinoceros - collected by Teddy Roosevelt
- to the Pennsylvania State Capitol.

This former museum educator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural
History in Pittsburgh believes that when people can't visit
the museum, she must take the museum to them.

At the Carnegie Museum, for example, she found innovative ways
to bring the astonishing world of natural history to catastrophically
ill children in hospitals and to special needs populations including
blind, deaf, multiply-disabled, and autistic children and designed
programs for senior citizens. Her innovative outreach programs
became nationally known and were supported by major grants.

She also created large-group programs for schools, and enhanced
the science curriculum for elementary and middle schools. From
her base at the Carnegie Museum, the fourth largest natural
history museum in the United States, her work took her into
three different states.

Now Kennedy has come to Connecticut, to the State Museum of
Natural History at UConn. As the museum's new education coordinator,
she will launch a new pilot program of educational outreach
to schools, community centers, libraries, and other organizations.

"As the State's museum, we view all corners of the state and
points in between as our backyard. It is often easier for the
Museum to take programs out to schools and community groups
than it is for them to come to us, especially those at a distance
from Storrs," says Ellen J. Censky, museum director, who initiated
the new educational outreach program.

"We are lucky to have attracted Leanne Kennedy to this museum,"
Censky adds. "Our mission is to serve the people of Connecticut
by promoting an understanding and appreciation of our natural
and cultural world. Outreach is a highly effective way to achieve
that objective."

Currently, the State Museum of Natural History is growing into
a new location, the former Horticulture

Storage Building next to Gampel Pavilion. During the renovations,
the Museum's popular on- and off-campus programs continue to
attract some 70,000 people annually.

"At this pivotal time in the life of the Museum, it is incredibly
exciting to contemplate the future," says Kennedy. "Building
on UConn's commitment to the State Museum of Natural History
- as well as the strength of its programs, exhibits and staff
- school and community outreach will extend and enhance many
facets of Museum education. Through collaborative efforts, we
can offer programs that will combine existing talents and resources
in new ways to provide exceptional learning opportunities for
people throughout the state."

Although she has been in Connecticut for less than a month,
Kennedy has already taken the Museum into two towns, Eastford
and Mansfield, and invites teachers and others to contact her
as she begins an assessment of statewide needs for innovative
and unusual science programs.

Kennedy's experience includes planning and developing education
programs and exhibits at two museums. At the Carnegie Museum,
she was responsible for classes, camps and workshops; classroom
resources and teacher guides; library services; traveling exhibits
programming; city-wide and neighborhood events; dramatic interpretive
programs; and hands-on interactive activities. She also trained
a volunteer corps of 50, and launched a school program serving
about 50,000 children annually.

Kennedy has served as an advisor to the Frick Art and Historical
Center and Silver Eye Center for Photography. She earned a master's
degree in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh, is a certified
elementary school teacher, and graduated summa cum laude with
a B.A. in social work from the University of Pittsburgh.

Kennedy says she hopes members of the community will contact
her. "I'm eager to talk with teachers, families, kids and other
community members about their ideas for outreach," she says.
"It is imperative to understand and assess needs so that we
can best serve the community and fulfill our mission."